Police Negotiations with City

Have you been following the police union negotiations with the City of Woodstock? You know, all the newspaper articles that keep the residents informed whether negotiations are proceeding smoothly toward a new contract?

No?

Well, neither have I, because there hasn't been anything in the paper. Rumor has it that negotiations have stalled. Oh, really?

What happens in a town when a police officer union calls a strike? Do the officers cross the picket line and continue to protect and to serve?

Or do the townspeople arm themselves and go out on patrol to keep our town safe?

In many parts of the U.S.A. that would be the case. But in Illinois? If we arm ourselves and go stand guard at the banks and other places where there is a lot of money changing hands (gas stations, Starbuck's, Jewel-Osco, etc.), then the county mounties and the smokey bears will swoop down on us and arrest US!

Illinois has some of the most archaic gun laws in the country. OK, so if you break into my house, I can defend myself. But, if you try to car-jack me, I am defenseless. Or if I'm walking to the Square or out jogging (I'll be the one on the sidewalk), I am defenseless.

Or so the criminal might think. Maybe he should start to wonder if I am defenseless. Maybe I'm not defenseless. Maybe I'll take the odds on jail versus the odds of being dead in an armed robbery or car-jacking.

But no criminal will know ahead of time whether he'll get heads or tails. Only I know.